The most impressive aspect about Melbourne artist Laura Jean’s decade long career is her ability to create just the right musical imagery for what she is lyrically expressing whatever style or approach she chooses to use in doing so. It’s actually uncanny. The first single, ‘Touchstone’ from her upcoming fourth album, Devotion is no exception. It’s self effacing yet sumptuous in its sun soaked nostalgia, outwardly restrained but inwardly unadulterated like the sensitive teenage self she channels.
While it sees her eschewing the earnest folk of her first three records and trading it for breezy, horizon inducing pop, what hasn’t changed is the honest, what you see is what you get approach to delivery and production. No bells and whistles, no heirs and graces, just straight out vignettes of time and place that paint vivid pictures from the smallest detail with the barest of musical essentials. On the new album, these pictures are taken from Jean’s hazy memories of her teenage years living on the New South Wales Central Coast;
“Devotion is about how a lonely coastal childhood filters into a contemporary adult life. I wrote this album for my mum, middle sister and myself as we were at that time—eccentric, romantically-unfulfilled teens and a stressed out single mum trying to have a love life.”
For the self directed video accompanying the track, fellow Melbourne artists Tahlia Eastman (Suss Cunts) and her partner Tom Russo (Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever) join her for a spot of gentle yoga against the backdrop of the Gosford suburb of Terrigal and surrounds on the aforementioned Central Coast. Edited by Geoffrey O’Connor with photography by Warwick Baker. “Touchstone” is out now through Chapter Music while Devotion will surface June 8. Pre-order the vinyl here.
Tracklist
1. Press Play
2. Devotion
3. Girls On the TV
4. Lick Your Heart
5. Northerly
6. Which One Are You
7. Telecommunication
8. Touchstone
9. Take Me There
10. You Make Me Feel
Touchstone
Laura Jean (AUS)
From the forthcoming album, ‘Devotion’, Chapter Music. Out June 8.
Laura Jean Facebook
Audio Stream
Official Video